2019 ILXCTF.com XC Season Awards - Girls Most Improved

By Michael Newman

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Class 3A

It came down to two athletes in this category.

Erin Reidy of Downers Grove South showed improvement during the 2019 Track & Field Season after finishing 39th in the 2018 State Cross Country Meet. Reidy finished her track season finishing third in the 800 Meter Run at the IHSA State Meet as well as helping her team finish sixth in the 3200 Meter Relay. Her post season campaign included running 4:59.08 in the 1-Mile Run at Magis Miles and a state leading 2:10.53 for the 800 Meter Run at the Midwest Distance Classic.

Her cross-country season ended as she earned all-state honors by finishing sixth in the 3A race at the IHSA State Meet.

Ashley Heidenrich of Waubonsie Valley has made huge strides of improvement over the past year. She did not qualify for the 2018 State Cross Country Meet finishing 21st at the Waubonsie Valley Sectional.

Her improvement showed during the track season as she improved her 3200 Meter Run time down 37 seconds. Heidenrich ran 11:01.86 to qualify for the state meet at the Metea Valley Sectional.

Heidenrich was on a mission this past fall finishing in the top eight in the nine races she ran in leading up to the state meet. She did finish second in the DuPage Valley Conference Meet, won the Oswego East Regional, and qualifying for the state meet by finishing second at the St. Charles East Sectional. Heidenrich earned all-state honors by finishing 11th in the Class 3A race at the IHSA State Cross Country Meet.

Her race at Detweiller Park in November made it an easy choice especially that she did not make it to that point the year before.

Congratulations to Ashley Heidenrich of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 3A Girls Most Improved Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Class 2A

This category was not as clear-cut for a choice as most improved. Both athletes considered have come a long way to get to this point.

Siobhan Stoll of Marian Central Catholic had never made it to the state meet before with her best season ending finish as an 18th place finish at the 2018 Woodstock North Sectional. Stoll qualified for the Class 2A State Meet last May in the 3200 Meter Run. She finished 13th in the State Finals.

Stoll ran great this fall finishing in the top five in every race that she competed in leading to the state meet. She finished the season by earning all-state honors finishing 8th in the Class 2A State race at Detweiller Park.

The fastest that Kristina Dalton of St. Ignatius Prep ran was when she ran 19:20 to finish 55th in the Class 3A Niles West Sectional in 2018. Injuries slowed Dalton down during the track season. Maybe that was an incentive for what this senior did this fall.

Her times close to the state series dropped by a minute including finishing third at the GCAC Championships. Dalton’s best race of the season was at the Class 2A State Meet. Dalton dropped her personal best another 20 seconds when she ran 17:39 to finish 7th to earn all-state honors.

Congratulations to Kristina Dalton of St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 2A Girls Most Improved Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Class 1A

Anna Perry of Eureka ended her freshman season in 2018 as her team’s sixth-runner on a state championship team. She finished 81st in that state race.

Her improvement this fall was dramatic as by October, she had stepped up as the team’s top runner. She won five straight races in October including winning the Class 1A Elmwood Sectional. She ended her sophomore season by finishing fourth in the Class 1A State race.

If she continues on her improvement curve next fall, Perry should be one of the top runners in this classification.

Congratulations to Anna Perry of Eureka High School in Eureka as the 2019 ILXCTF.com Illinois Class 1A Girls Most Improved Cross Country Runner of the Year.